Welcome!
Today: Our provision and protection – in Christ
Passage: Psalm 91
9 If you make the Most High your dwelling— even the LORD, who is my refuge— 10 then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. 11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; 12 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.. (Ps 91, NIV)
We love psalm 91. We love scripture that talks about blessings, protection etc.
We need God’s protection and provision. But there are always certain conditions
We need to dwell in the shadow of God. We need to take refuge in Him
As long as the disciples were with Jesus, they had no problem. Once they even went with Jesus saying “let us go and die with Him” (Thomas said it-John 11:16. Jews were already talking about stoning Jesus, and now Lazarus was dead!)
But when Jesus was crucified, their “world” collapsed! They were really scared. All their boldness was gone, until Jesus ressurrected and appeared to them
We are not safe, if Jesus is not with us. When we selct any path, make sure He is with us. The essence of psalm 23 is the same. If the Lord is my shepherd, He will protect and provide for us. If He is not, we are in trouble
Israelites were truly protected and provided by God, in their 40 years of wilderness journey. God covered them as a cloud in the day. In the night, the pillar of fire assured them about God’s presence
What do we do, when God’s presence is not that evident/visible?
Disciples were scared when their boat was about to sink in the storm; once it happened when Jesus was with them; another time, Jesus was physically not in the boat. But Jesus was watching them. He came to them, walking on the water!
We will say “God is with me” and in the next moment, start getting scared!
He is with us in the storms of life. God purposely allowed the disciples to face those storms so that they could get stronger. God has allowed such storms in the life of all those He loved and used. Nothing just happens, without a reason!
When we leave evrything to God and do just what He wants us to do, it will be beautiful in the end. God did everything for the Israelites. They didn’t have to cry out and make noise, but they did. God did the right thing at the right time
Have a blessed day
BG
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for your provision and protection. Regardless of all that you have done for me in the past, I have wondered “why” and “what?”. I now choose to hide under your wings and you will do it all for me. Thank you Lord. Amen
“It is in the worst storms of life that we see Jesus walking to us, on water!”